The Temptation of Vegas
by FantasyFollower
Summary: Tomorrow would bring a new light on how absolutely moronically stupid the two of them were being, but it was still today and neither could find a reason to resist, a reason not to give into the temptation that was taboo, the temptation that was Las Vegas.
1. Chapter 1

**Fully dedicated to the most awesome Beta ever, JisbonyGoodness36! Thanks so much for taking the chance on me and my story!**

**Disclaimer: Do you honestly think I'd be a broke university student if the idea was mine?**

**Author's note at the bottom.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

If he had to spend one more day in this damn excuse of a hellhole he was going to go completely and utterly mad. Patrick Jane grimaced, his teacup halfway to his lips, his eyes scanning the room in quick annoyed glares. It was a never-ending nightmare of flashing lights and repeated slot music, the sound of coins falling and bad losers joining in from time to time. He may have enjoyed coming to Vegas when he was younger - heck, he would have loved scamming the constant stream of fools who were practically begging for it – but he was wiser now, acutely aware of what truly happened in places like this and how miserable the occupant were. Maybe not the suckers who came for their shot at the millions, but the seasoned gamblers seemed well aware of how futile their lives had become. Yet they never seemed to possess the ability to stop.

Letting out an annoyed sigh Jane moved his arm the last few inches and sipped at his cooling tea. He'd probably head back to his room soon. It wasn't like there was much else to do. He'd been warned, threatened and blackmailed by Lisbon until he had promised he wouldn't even dream of pulling off some or other scheme. In fact, she'd gone as far as to forbid him from touching any of the casino's property despite the fact that both of them knew that if Jane wanted to disobey he wouldn't hesitate for a second. She said she trusted he knew how to behave – her sarcastic tone clear proof of how highly unlikely she deemed her own statement to be – before threatening to shoot him in the head if he ruined her date with that biggest idiot Jane had had the misfortune to meet in a hell of a long time. He was a friend of Mashburn's, but, while Jane could stand Mashburn if he really tried, there was no force upon this Earth that could make him have even a sliver of patience when it came to Samuel Clark. Rich, arrogant, more than overconfident of his ability to charm the fairer sex, the man had set his sights on Lisbon the second they had arrived a week before. Even finding out that Lisbon was the Agent set with the task of solving the murder of his five year old niece hadn't put a dent in his plans. Neither had Jane's threatening looks.

Jane had been pleased with Lisbon's complaints about the billionaire as they'd worked that week and had almost felt sorry for the man. There was no way, he'd been sure, that Lisbon would ever give the overconfident prick – who Jane refused to acknowledge was a lot like he used to be – the time of day. At least until they'd solved the case and Lisbon had accepted the man's offer of dinner at some fancy place. He'd wanted to shake her, to demand if she had gone utterly and completely insane, but as a small smile had settled on her lips when she told him about the dinner he had swallowed his true feelings, as well as his pride, for once letting her have an opportunity to enjoy herself without him ruining it and, instead, had simply murmured, "That's nice,"

Something had flashed through her green eyes, but before Jane could get a proper look it had been gone. "Yeah, it'll be… nice." Was it just him or had she sounded a little unsure and reluctant when she said that? Jane rolled his eyes. Of course it was just him. Just because he thought the man should be thrown head first out the door didn't mean Lisbon shared the sentiment. Getting hopeful was not going to get him anywhere anytime soon. Lisbon was probably already with him, laughing over a glass of red wine, her eyes sparkling like emeralds in the candlelight, probably clad in that little black dress she'd described to Van Pelt just a few days ago, the dress that probably hugged her small frame to utter perfection, emphasizing her small waist and gorgeous breasts…

He jumped up with a start, his hand gripping his teacup so hard the knuckles had turned white. He had to get out of there, back to his room where he could keep his mind off his boss and what she may or may not be doing with her date. In one quick swing he drained the last of his tea.

First, however, he needed something a heck of a lot stronger.

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><p>It's okay Reese, take a deep breath, you can make it through this. Just grin and bear it – oh, god, don't do that! He'll think you're actually interested! Lisbon shuddered at the mere thought. How the hell had she gotten herself into this mess? Nothing the man had done that entire week had shown even an inkling of good manners or class, and yet she had done the one thing her mind had been protesting against vigorously the entire week: she had accepted to join him for dinner.<p>

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

She didn't know why she hadn't told him to go to hell like she'd been itching to from the moment she'd clapped her eyes on him. She'd had the excuse of working on the case of his niece's murder to hide behind at first. She and Jane – or more specially Jane if she was truly being honest with herself – had been specially asked for by some high ranking politician and had been pushed into the first airplane the bureau could find. Economy class of course. She'd expected Jane to be a nuisance the entire way, annoying the airhostesses or pulling tricks on fellow passengers just to show them how superior he was, but instead he'd simply requested a pillow before falling asleep – more on her shoulder that on the pillow. Mr. Insomniac indeed…

She had let him use her as a human pillow simply because she hadn't been able to keep her eyes open for more than a few minutes either, especially after they had had to wait another hour to take off due to some unforeseen error, and when she woke up it was to find the plane descending and herself carefully curled against Jane's side as far as the seat and the arm rest had allowed her. Luckily Jane had still been fast asleep, saving her weeks of embarrassing jokes for the fact that she had blushed bright red when the airhostess had given her the 'aww, you make such a cute couple' smile. She had tried to correct the woman, insist that it really wasn't what it looked like, but she had only been able to open her mouth before she was cut off.

"We've started the decent Madam," her lips were still twisted in that smile, "Would you please wake your husband and let him know?" Before the words had even managed to sink into Lisbon's sleep muddled mind the woman had walked off. When she finally figured out what had been said Lisbon considered yelling after the woman, more than eager to insist that there was a bigger chance of her marrying Prince Harry than Patrick Jane. He was her consultant – he acted more like a partner than a consultant, except when it came to any shape or form of danger and paperwork, but she wasn't the one who chose the job titles – and the probability of a wedding in her future – to anyone not just Jane if she wanted to be honest – was looking bleaker by the day. Nether the less Lisbon had leaned over and shaken Jane into wakefulness. He hadn't been startled by her action in the least nor surprised to find himself still using her as his pillow. He'd simply smiled that heart breaking smile that had probably left many a woman panting after the infuriating man, his eyes studying her in his usual critically calculating way.

"Lisbon," he still sounded groggy with sleep, "How was your nap?"

Her frown had seemed to double in size. "How'd you know I'd been asleep?" Had he been awake the entire time, merely pretending to sleep?

Suddenly one of Jane hand had been on the side of her head, carefully tucking a loose strand of her sleep tussled hair behind one ear. "I have my ways."

Her hands flew up, desperately – and unsuccessfully – trying to flatten hair that she knew through experience was now probably standing in every single possible direction. Jane had just kept smiling, nodding his head at the airhostess as she passed again, that damn smile still on her lips. Lisbon wasn't all too sure how she had done it, but through some miracle she had managed to refrain from murdering both Jane and the woman. Instead she had roughly shoved Jane off of her and ignored him for the rest of the trip.

Or should she say tried. Ignoring Jane, especially when you had made the mistake of letting him know you were purposefully trying to ignore him, was never an easy task. He always went out of his way to win back her attention when she was mad at him. Unfortunately he did so by doing things he explicitly knew he wasn't supposed to do. Normally this included pushing the buttons of the person he knew had committed the murder, entering places he had no right going or pulling stunts that made Lisbon want to wring his neck. Between the airplane and the casino he had managed to flirt with two airhostesses, insult a security guard, told a cab driver he drove like a blind man, and nearly got them thrown out the casino building. Twice.

Things only got worse when she had met the person responsible for bringing them there in the first place. Samuel Clark was probably the biggest pig Lisbon had ever met. He seemed to think that loads of money, what he thought good looks and an i-phone made him God's gift to woman. And Lisbon was his next target. The more she told him to piss off (unfortunately as an officer of the law she couldn't use those exact words) the more he managed to mistake it for 'keep talking and I may just jump you'. She had been this close to slapping him after just five minutes when Jane had interrupted by pulling one of his stunts, thus nearly getting them tossed out a third time. She hadn't even been a tiny bit mad at him because the distraction had gotten things back on track and two minutes later she was finally out of the dreaded man's company. She should have yelled at Jane for his inability to respect any rules. She should have, instead she simply murmured, "Thanks Jane," as the elevator door slid shut.

Jane had smiled his usual Jane smile, proving that he had noticed Lisbon's earlier distress. He had gotten her out Clark's company many more times in the following days, always finding some way to create chaos. She knew he enjoyed it, but was too happy to escape Clark's clutches each time to reprimand him. By the third day Clark was asking her out at least twice daily. No was always the answer, her solving his niece's murder was always the answer. Unfortunately he had caught her off guard just after they had solved the case, with Jane nowhere in sight, and before she could make up another good excuse he had exclaimed, "Good, it's settled then!" before strolling away.

She forgot about it until she had lunch with Jane that afternoon. She had forced a small smile on her face, knowing that some women would find having dinner with a rich guy as something wonderful even if she didn't. She didn't want to seem too much like a freak of nature so she had pretended to be excitedabout the idea – even if she had turned him down about fifteen times. A strange look had appeared in Jane's eyes, but, expert as he was at hiding his feelings, it disappeared instantly. Instead he had simply murmured, "That's nice,"

Lisbon had felt her eyes widen and immediately pulled them back into place. Was he freaking crazy? God, she would rather throw herself into the Hudson River than go on a date with Mr. 'Big-Shot-I've-got-more-money-than-you'll-ever-see-and-an-i-phone-I-have-to-whip-out-every-five-seconds'. Wasn't Jane going to save her from this date? Wait, he didn't honestly think she wanted to go out with Clark? Did he think she was a gold digger just because she had had that one night with Mashburn – not that she was even so sure he knew about Mashburn. Who was she kidding, he knew about Mashburn alright. Jane knew about everything that happened in her life, even the things she desperately tried to hide. Then why wasn't he picking up on this one. Her eyes were practically begging 'please don't let me go' but he looked like he had no problem with the idea. "Yeah, it'll be… nice," About as nice as being mauled by a lion that is. Jane just kept sipping his tea, or gulping if she really looked closely, and seconds later he was up on his feet, fishing a couple of notes from his wallet and tossing them on the table.

"Well I won't keep you, you probably need to get ready sometimesoon. You woman always take hours." She hid her frown of disappointment, and her surprise at him knowing she already had a dress and didn't need to go buy one. "I'll see you tomorrow Lisbon. Enjoy dinner." He had stalked off before she could even reply. And since he wasn't going to be her knight in a three piece suit this time around she was going to have to go through this torture session of a date. She had eyed the bills Jane had left before she stood up. There was enough to cover her cup of coffee as well. At least he still acted like a gentleman some of the time.

A hand on her thigh snapped her back to reality. Her mouth pinched in shock and outrage, her eyes burning in fury as they swung to Clark who was now casually trying to slide his hand under her dress. "You know Teresa," he whispered, "maybe it's time to move this little party upstairs."

Lisbon didn't even stop to think, grabbing her little clutch like handbag and swung it full force in his face. It made a satisfying loud thud as it landed, Clark's cry of pain following her as she got up and marched out of there with her head held high.

"God, you broke my nose!" she heard him whine as she reached the door. Good, she sure as hell hoped so. No man would ever try to feel her up unless she bloody well said he could. Stupid, arrogant pig!

She didn't even notice where she was heading until she had already seated herself on one of the bar stools and ordered a stiff drink. The barman was quick, placing the drink in front of her in seconds. It was downed even quicker. She nodded her head for another before she finally surveyed the scene around her. Typical, gamblers who had lost a little too much money, rich guys trying to pick up some young ladies, young ladies trying to hook said rich men, Jane…

She did a double take. Jane? What on earth was he doing here? He hated alcohol, preferring that awful tea when he had the choice. And knowing Jane's skills he could definitely get the barman to make his some tea. She grabbed her drink as it arrived and walked over to him. He didn't even notice her until she was seated across from him.

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><p>Jane looked up, ready to tell whoever it was that right now company was not exactly what he was looking for. He had meant to stop after one drink but they had kept coming and he really hadn't wanted to go upstairs and wonder if Lisbon was spending the night with Clark. He knew Lisbon wasn't into rich guys, but she was lonely and it had been a while since Mashburn so maybe a booty call wasn't all that unlikely. Not that it was any of his business. That was just the problem. Much as Jane tried to ignore it, it was definitely his problem whether Lisbon liked it or not. He blinked rapidly when he saw Lisbon sitting opposite him in the sexy dress he'd been imagining her in the entire night. He blinked again, desperately trying to clear his vision. There was no way on earth that Lisbon was here with him, it just wasn't possible.<p>

"You okay Jane?" she asked before taking a healthy swallow from her drink.

He blinked again. "Are you sure I shouldn't be asking you that? What happed to Clark?"

The corner of her lips flicked upwards briefly. "I may or may not have left him with a broken nose,"

"You sound uncertain,"

She shrugged. "I didn't stick around long enough to find out," Jane felt a full-fledged smile form. "That's what you get for trying to feel me up," The smile instantly disappeared.

"That son of a …" he tried to get back onto his feet, only then realizing how unsteady he was from all the alcohol. Okay, he may just have crossed his drinking limit. Thank the Lord he didn't have to drive anywhere. He was saved from making a fool of himself by Lisbon pushing him back into his seat.

"Slow down Jane, I more than took care of myself." He couldn't argue with that. Instead he chose to study her as she took another gulp. First he had to force his eyes to keep focusing. The dress really was as she had described it to Van Pelt. It was pitch black just as any little black dress should be, the small straps softly hugging her shoulders and dipping to a bust that hinted at a bit of cleavage before tucking in at the waist and fanning out to mid-thigh. No wonder Clark hadn't been able to resist trying to get a feel of what she felt like. From here she looked soft, a word Jane had never before thought to use to describe the Agent.

The second Lisbon finished her drink the waitress was there asking if they wanted more. He really shouldn't. He'd already had more than enough and it wasn't going to take much to push him over the edge.

"Sure," Lisbon handed her both their glasses.

If only she realized what a big mistake that was.

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><p>Jane knew what his drinking limit was, knew when to say no, when enough was enough and one more would turn him into something that one could only describe as the old Jane. Why he let that knowledge slide that day he'll never know. Maybe he'd just felt too lonely, maybe Lisbon had just looked too mouth wateringly beautiful in that dress, or maybe he just felt too lazy to care for once in his life. All he knew was that when he and Lisbon left that bar an hour later neither of them were in any frame of mind to make any important decisions, much less the one they ended up making. Jane wasn't exactly sure what had led them in that direction, but alcohol sure as hell played a major part.<p>

After leaving the bar they had exited the hotel for a stroll, joking loudly as they enjoyed the brightly lit night. The night was warm, the gentle breeze smelling of desertas it wafted past. Despite the late hour Jane could still clearly hear cars hurrying down the roads, their paths lighted by headlights and the busy city. New York was supposed to be the city that never slept but Las Vegas seemed to be given it quite a run for its money. The first fifteen minutes passed in comfortable silence, both of them focused more on the luminous lights than each other. Not that Jane ever forgot the she was there, unconsciously turning every few seconds to make sure she hadn't wondered off.

"You know," Lisbon said suddenly, clutching tightly onto his arm for balance, "I've always sworn I'd avoid Vegas like the plague."

Her admission startled him. "Why, aren't you pretty good at gambling? What's to worry about?"

She smiled as she raised one hand and pointed a finger at a wedding chapel almost directly in front of them. "Gambling wasn't the problem, those were. You know those stories you always hear about drunken people being attracted to them like moths to a flame? I've always thought the very idea was utterly ridiculous, I mean, who'd want to be married by an Elvis impersonator? The mere though made me want to break out in cold sweat. But then, there was this part of me that could just picture it. It would be," she turned to him, her emerald eyes glittering with an emotion Jane simply couldn't place at the moment. He couldn't look away, obsessed by the way her eyes seemed to be calling him closer, forcing him to her without her needing to say a word. "Just so easy…"

Jane was only inches away now. "So easy," he whispered in agreement, not all too aware what he was agreeing to, deep down knowing that the worthy things in life were never that easy, but too intoxicated, both by the alcohol and Lisbon, to care anyway. Lisbon lifted her head, turning her face upward at him and suddenly his last bit of self-control (hyphen) snapped. He bent down, softly capturing her lips with his. He felt her surprised reaction, her mouth opening slightly in shock as her body took half a step away from him. He kept his eyes closed, waiting for the slap that came with the disgust and rejection. It never came. Instead she took a full step forward, wrapping her arms around his neck before pulling herself as close to him as she could manage. Jane's eyes snapped open in surprise as her arms tightened, desperately trying to deepen the kiss. He wasted no time, turning Lisbon against the nearest wall so he could pull her flush against him as he finally dared to seek entrance with his tongue. He found no resistance, Lisbon throwing herself into the kiss just as wholeheartedly as he was. Her taste was like a drug to him, consuming him whole, her soft skin calling to him. Unconsciously his hands dipped to the back of her knees, his fingertips sliding softly and deliciously slowly upwards. Only when he reached the back of her thigh did she stop him, her lips wrenching away from his. He was sure she was going to pull away, to leave him there and then, his body screaming for him to have her, his mind too fuelled by alcohol to care.

Instead she leaned back to look him in the eyes, her green eyes reflecting the lust he was sure was in his as well. She smiled, returning for a soft kiss before she whispered three words against his lips, "So easy Jane,"

Self-control, resistance, and intelligence. These were three characteristics that Jane had always prided himself on possessing in high amounts. But in that second, that wonderful heavenly second with Lisbon held in his arms and his brain pretty much turned to mush, he had none of them. Careful suspicious Jane was replaced by a carefree whimsical creature that he'd never seen before. There was no hope for him and if he had been in the right frame of mind he would have known that without even thinking. He had nothing left in life, nothing but Red John and the hunt that consumed his very being. Lisbon was a dream he had no place dreaming, an idea that could never be. He was too broken, too shattered by the event that ruled his life, too consumed to ever let the fight go, too drunk to care…

His lips tweaked upwards, his hands never letting her go. "Let's test that theory, shall we?"

Tomorrow would bring a new light on how absolutely moronically stupid the two of them were being, but it was still today and neither could find a reason to resist, a reason not to give into the temptation that was taboo, the temptation that was Las Vegas.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, okay, I know there's a lot of people who are 'this' close to murdering me for not updating my other stories. I'm sorry, I've had extreme writer's block the last few months. Please be a little patient and I promise the wait is almost over!**

**F²**


	2. Chapter 2

**Once more a big thank you to my Beta JisbonyGoodness36**** for helping me avoid a lot of 'What the heck did I just write' moments.**

**Disclaimer: I don't even wish it was mine cause I could never create such awesome characters.**

**A/N at the bottom.**

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

Growing up had been far from easy for Teresa Lisbon. She had practically raised her three brothers, her father never giving a flying hoot about the children he had sired, his focus solely on the loss he was trying so hard to drink away. He never knew the pain he had caused his children, especially his eldest child and only daughter. She'd barely been sixteen when she had sworn to herself she would never go as far as her father went daily. She wasn't going to blame alcohol for her problems but she knew she would never over indulge, never lose her senses to a plight that just wasn't worth it. She loved control and never wanted to be in a position that meant that she would automatically relinquish it. So far she had succeeded. At least until that night.

She wasn't sure how she had lost control but she could forget about getting it back. As Jane looked down at her, his blue eyes shining with mischief, trust and something she never could quite place, she knew she would follow him to the end of the earth, drag him back, yell at him for a few minutes and then simply follow him again when he ignored her.

It was right about then that the night became fuzzy, glimpses and flashes replacing what should have been clear memories.

She was in a small hall, the roof towering above her head in a curved dome. She was wearing Jane's jacket as the man in question spoke to a sleepy looking man behind a small desk.

She was bending over a book, signing her name in a slightly shaken script, Jane's elegant scrawl on a line next to hers.

Jane was right in front of her, his hand clasping gently onto her left hand as he slid something cold and solid onto one of her fingers.

There was another man in front of them, saying something but Lisbon struggled to make out the words. Good Lord, was that an Elvis impersonator?

Jane was leaning down, his hand gently cupping her cheek as he placed a tender kiss on her lips.

Suddenly they were back in the hotel room, Jane quickly locking the door behind them. Lisbon felt her heartbeat fasten, adrenalin running through her veins not from fear but pure excitement and anticipation. She turned to him, meeting him halfway as he once more pulled her to him. He was still gentle with her, treating her like a delicate porcelain doll that could break into pieces in his arms. She grabbed the lapels of his shirt, yanking him to her in a desperate kiss, needing to taste him, needing to feel him with a desperateness she'd never known before. He obliged, meeting her kiss for kiss. She felt his hands slide up the back of her thighs, resting just under her bum before he pulled her against him as tightly as he could manage. She gasped, the sound swallowed by his mouth as he used the distraction to his advantage by deepening the kiss. She could feel him everywhere; feel the need he had for her, for this moment. It was the same need that harboured in her being. She angled her head to the side so he could bend his head down and have easier access to her mouth, simultaneously running her hands through his golden curls. She didn't feel him usheringher backwards, not until she was lying on her back on the bed, Jane's body covering hers.

His mouth left hers, trailing down her cheek and neck, his teeth nipping at her collarbone. Her hands yanked at the bottom of his shirt, desperately pulling the material from his trousers so she could slide her hands up his naked back. She felt the hiss of air he expelled on her neck before a soft groan escaped him. She trailed her fingertips down the length of his back, slowly driving him insane. He retaliated by pressing hot desperate kisses on her neck and shoulders, moving down to the top of the dress which was now revealing most of the upper side of her breasts. It was her turn to moan in pleasure, her fingers stalling under his shirt. His hands found her shoulders, his fingertips sliding down her skin, taking the straps of her dress with them. She heard his quick groan of disappointment when he discovered she wore a strapless bra under the dress, but his nimble fingers didn't even pause, simply pushing the lacy material down to her waist in the same movement.

Lisbon didn't even have time feel embarrassmentover being bared to the man before he leaned down and captured one nipple in his mouth, his thumb lazily brushing over the other one. Her back arched upwards, her body once more moulding to his. She knew he was ready when she came into contact with the proof of his desire. A desperate fire seemed to flow through her, a fire she had to quench there and then, and Jane was the only one who could do so. She yanked her hands out from under his shirt, desperately attacking the buttons of his vest. Jane let her do so, taking his time to tease the nipple into a hard bud with his tongue and mouth. He lifted his arms for her when she finished with the buttons so she could pull the material off but returned to her other breast when she started on the buttons of his shirt. It took quite a few attempts to get them all out, her hands shaking more than she could have anticipated. Lisbon wasn't ashamed to admit it, but at that moment she needed him more than she needed air to breath. As his shirt joined his vest on the floor his lips returned to hers, his hands slipping underneath her so he could press her naked skin to his. They groaned in union, the sound silenced in a passionate kiss. She couldn't wait anymore, she needed him now.

"Jane," her voice was a whispered plea, "Patrick, please…"

The sound of his name on her lips seemed to push him over the edge. With lightning speed he managed to pull her dress off and digest her of her underwear in mere seconds. She started pulling on his belt but before she could even unhook the buckle he was off of her. Moments later he returned, now just as naked as she was. Without even a hint of hesitation or doubt she pulled him to her, immediately needing the taste of him on her lips again. He went more than willingly, distracting her with his talented tongue as one hand stole down her body to her core, testing if she was ready for what was to come. She bit back another loud moan, her hips immediately thrusting upwards at his touch.

"Teresa," her name was like a prayer on his lips as he gathered himself. He had to be careful, to make sure she enjoyed every possible second. He needed to wait, to get himself under control so he knew this encounter would be absolutely perfect. She however had other ideas. As he closed his eyes, willing himself to slow down she slid her legs out from under him, one on each side of his body, and grinded her pelvis against his. Any thoughts of slowing down disappeared in milliseconds. There was no stopping him now, not even if the fires of hell were licking his heels. He pulled her to him, leaning down to distract her with a deep kiss as he slowly entered her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him to go faster. He ignored her, for once taking control. His advance was slow and careful. He'd be damned if he screwed this up. Lisbon didn't fight him for control long, quickly accepting his slow pace, soon matching him thrust for thrust. With every movement it became harder for him to hold back, harder to stop himself from giving her all he had to give, knowing she would give everything she had too.

She tilted her hips, pushing him deeper still, and finally he let himself go. He felt her race towards the edge, capturing her mouth to once more swallow her moan as she finally reached completion. He followed almost immediately, pulling her as close as he could, knowing she was the one woman who would never let go of his heart. She had it in her hand, and whether he wanted to admit it or not, he had given it to her on a silver platter with a no return policy attached. He allowed himself a few seconds to enjoy the feel of her on every inch of his skin before finally lifting his body off her and rolling to the side. She held on, rolling with him so she was tucked into his side, her head resting on his chest and her small hand resting over his heart. A small smile appeared on his lips as he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. With the feel of her in his arms he closed his eyes, for the first time in years falling into a deep dreamless sleep.

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><p>There was pain, lots and lots of pain. Lisbon tried not to move, her head practically feeling like any second now it was going to split open. What the hell had she done last night? Whatever it was, it sure as hell wasn't cuddling up with a cup of coffee and a movie like she had the last couple of nights. Let's see, there was dinner with Clark – or should she refer to it as disaster with Clark. Even thinking about the wrenched man mad her anger levels sky rocket – along with her headache. Okay, don't think about him. Calm down little head. Calm down. Better, not perfect but better. Okay, after dinner with an unwelcome suitor she had headed off to get a drink. One drink, definitely not the ton she must have consumed to get this monster. Oh, Jane had been there! She remembered that now! And boy had he looked miserable, no wonder she had stayed. Plus there was the fact that he had been drinking, not something she often saw him do – excluding that one mission of course. She remembered now she had been worried about him sitting there in the corner. Who was she kidding, she always worried about him nowadays. Life had a way of throwing all of its troubles at Jane, and, since she pretty much had the job of taking care of him since the death of his family, life was now giving her grief as well. Not that her life had exactly been perfect before she had met him but she chose to ignore that fact at the moment.<p>

Her head gave another hard pound. First things first, she needed a hangover cure and damn fast. She tried to force her eyes open but they seemed to be glued shut. Dear Lord, not now. She moved her hand, hoping that rubbing her eyes would magically make them pop open, but as she did her hand came into contact with skin. Skin that sure as hell wasn't hers. In fact, now that she paid attention, she could feel her back and legs touching skin as well.

Oh no, please don't let it be Clark!

The mere thought made her eyes fly open. Well, that worked. Ignoring her pounding headache – not exactly an easy feat – she slowly turned her head to the side, catching a glimpse of curly blond hair in the process. Her eyes widened her mouth opening in shock and horror. Oh god, no, no, no, it couldn't be!

But it was. As she turned her head further she finally had a clear view of her current position. She was carefully tucked into the body of none other than Patrick Jane, one of his legs draped over hers and his hand covering one of her breasts.

What the hell had she done? This wasn't supposed to happen! She and Jane were colleagues, friends at most, and now this… How was she ever going to fix things between them after this? Wait a second, why exactly was it her fault? He had just as much input in this as she had. Good idea Teresa, let's blame Jane for everything. But she couldn't because she knew what had happened must have involved her in a certain large dosage.

Her headache was getting bigger and bigger. Much like the hotel room. Looking around she noticed that the room was a lot bigger than the one she had been in the entire week. Was this Jane's? She was pretty sure they had been given the same size rooms but with Jane one never knew.

That was it; she had to get out of this bed now. She tried wiggling out slowly so she didn't stir Jane. The mere thought of him waking up to see her like this…

Jane let out a content sigh, suddenly pulling her even closer to him and placing sleepy kisses on the back of her neck. Lisbon froze, half of her wanting to scream like a banshee while the other half finally figured out why last night must have happened. Her schoolgirl like crush must have returned with a vengeance while she had been drunk. Damn, and she'd been so sure she was completely over him. Obviously not.

She stayed still for a second, enjoying the moment despite herself. Jane was obviously still asleep and try as she might Lisbon couldn't move away from the man. He was slowly making his way downwards, his lips trailing down her spine softly. When he reached the dip in her lower back she forced back a gasp. She had to stop this before things got out of hand. He suddenly flipped her over on her back, his body covering her before she could even register the change. He started at the top again, laying gentle kisses on her temple, eyelids, nose, mouth, chin, moving down her neck and collarbone before stopping at her breasts. Lisbon couldn't stop the moan that came with his touch this time. He was teasing her into a frenzy and despite knowing that everything they were doing was wrong on so many levels – the first of which was that they worked together – she simply couldn't gather the will to make him stop. The will to even want him to stop.

At least until he made his way up her body again, his lips following the same path it had coming down, and his hands slid down to push her legs to either side of his hips. She couldn't let things go that far. It would feel like taking advantage of him while he was sleeping and Lisbon knew she couldn't ever do that to him.

"Jane," her voice was hoarser than she had thought it would be. He was almost at her lips. "Jane please, you have to wake up. I can't… Please, wake up." His lips covered hers in a deep kiss, his tongue instantly sweeping in to tangle with hers. It was through sheer willpower and luck that she managed to force herself to push her hands against his chest and create some distance between their bodies. "Patrick… Wake up!"

He jerked away as he awoke with a start. Eyes widened as blue met green, a desperate gleam covering their depths as he realized just where he was and what he was doing. "Lisbon?"

She felt her cheeks colour deep red, embarrassed not by what he was doing but by the fact that she had allowed it to get this far. That she had taken the risk last night when she knew what kind of consequences overindulgence could have. She had grown up around it after all.

He took another few seconds to fully take in his surrounding before uttering a quick curse and rolling off of her. Lisbon grabbed at the sheets, desperately needing something to cover her nakedness now that his body was no longer doing so, but she didn't need to worry about Jane sneaking a peek. He was already gone, the tap running in the bathroom telling her exactly where he had gone. Wrapping the white linen tightly around her she searched the floor for their clothes. Her face only turned warmer as she noticed how far their clothes had travelled and just how… eh, enthusiastic the two of them had been. How exactly couldn't she remember all of that happening? She spotted his jacket lying by the foot of the bed and quickly bent to pick it up. It was only as she straightened up that she noticed a flash of gold on her finger. She turned her hand slowly, nearly dropping the shirt as she realized exactly what it was. It was a plain gold ring – Jane's ring.

"Lisbon," Jane was suddenly behind her, a towel wrapped around his waist. There was a slight hint of panic in his voice. "I can't find my ring…" he stopped at once when he noticed the stricken look on her face. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down but failing miserably. "Jane," her voice was still shaking, "do you remember anything from last night?"

He was silent for a second, his eyes never leaving Lisbon's worried ones. She could see the concern that crossed them, and something that looked almost looked like regret. Probably for sleeping with her, she realized. After what seemed like eons he shook his head. "No. I'm sorry," Once more she wasn't entirely sure what he was referring to. "Why?"

She needed another deep breath – make that two – before she was ready to confront him. "I… I think we may have done something really stupid."

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><p>She wasn't referring to the hotel room and everything that had happened in it. He could tell that from just one glance. Slowly, almost careful, she raised her left hand so that the outside was facing toward him. His breath caught as he noticed the glint of gold on her ring finger, a glint of gold that was as familiar to him as his own face was. It was his ring, his promise that bonded him to one single woman for life, a woman who wasn't currently standing in front of him.<p>

He must have looked like he was panicking because she was suddenly reaching for her ring. Her ring? No, it was his. And yet…

He grabbed her hand, enclosing it in his so she couldn't reach the ring. For some inexplicable reason he didn't want her to take it off. It wasn't hers to keep, it was his, but somehow it didn't feel that way. The very idea that she was his was sending his mind into a confused whirr. He had never wanted to remarry again, the loss of Angela and Charlotte had been too great, he could never even dream of replacing them. He looked down at the confused agent in front of him, the small but powerful woman who had tried so desperately to keep him in line all these years, the only person that he honestly and truly felt cared for him, the only person who could make him wonder if hunting Red John was a mistake after all.

Oh god, Red John!

His mind was suddenly overrun by images of Lisbon lying dead on the floor, her body cut to pieces, the childlike red smiley face's mocking laugh taunting him. He couldn't do it, he couldn't lose her too.

"We can't let anyone else find out." His voice was quiet, void of any emotion at all. He saw the subtle change in her demeanour even as she tried to hide it, shifting from confusion to rejection under his gaze. "I can't, Lisbon, I can't let him find out."

Back to confusion. "What are you talking about Jane?"

It was like he snapped, his hands flying out to pull her to him before encasing her in a bone crushing hug. "Red John. He takes everything in this world that I care about. I can't let him have you too. If he finds out about this he'll take it as a challenge. I won't let him hurt you too."

As his words sank in Lisbon realized there was no insult it them. Jane had pretty much admitted he would do anything to keep her safe even if it meant pretending this whole Vegas thing had never happened. She wasn't sure what to do about it. She didn't know if she was anywhere near ready for marriage to Jane, but neither was she sure she could pretend last night hadn't happened. Didn't she get a choice in any of this?

She opened her mouth to tell him so, to tell him that she didn't appreciate being cut out of the decision making process and that she was willing to fight for what she wanted – even if wasn't exactly sure what that was yet – when her cell phone rang from the pocket of Jane's jacket. She had no idea what it was doing there but since she was still holding the jacket she might as well answer the phone. Holding up her finger for Jane to hold that thought she flipped open her phone. "Lisbon,"

"Lisbon?" It was Wainwright, his voice oddly strained like he was suppressing anger. "Don't you mean Jane?"

She nearly dropped her phone in surprise. "Excuse me Sir?"

"Don't act so surprised Lisbon. The owner of the hotel called – Mr. Kent or something along the line – and asked me to apologize to you for him because apparently your husband didn't take the idea of him – eh – 'feeling you up' that well. Who can blame him – for being surprised at you being married, not for trying to be forward of course – when you'd been single a few hours earlier?"

Lisbon gulped. "Sir?"

"Look Lisbon, technically since Jane is your consultant no rules were broken, so the CBI can do nothing about whatever relationship you and Jane choose to have. All we can do is wish you two a very happy life together. However, we can do something if trouble arises in paradise. I hope you really though this one through Lisbon because if this little marriage of yours doesn't work the CBI will have no choice but to remove one of you from the team. And much as I hate to admit this sad fact, Jane is simply more useful to us. I expect the two of you back in the office on Monday. Enjoy your honeymoon." With a click the phone went dead, but Lisbon was still holding it to her ear, frozen in shock. He'd told her she was worth less that Jane – just like that. If they tried avoiding this marriage all her hard work all these years would be for naught. She couldn't let that happen.

"Lisbon?" Jane was still holding her, his ear close enough to the phone to indicate he had heard everything. She said nothing, letting the phone slip from her ear and simply looking up at him. His expression had changed, softened from the anger that had dominated him seconds earlier. "It's okay, I don't know how but somehow we'll make this work." His lips twisted into a small smile before adding, "Mrs. Jane."

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><p><strong>Thank you so much for the reviews:<strong> **Chiisana Minako **(thanks so much for the long review. You're not the only one avoiding studying! It takes place in season 4 but I'll try not to let out any spoilers. There may however be a hint or two just to go with the story but nothing major.)**, mmm, House ever, AliahMPS, evonna **(your wish is my command! Lol)**, ****Brown Eyes Parker **(this is as M as it's going to get so I hope it's not too bad)** and ****SincerelyTruly** (is is kind of cliche isn't it? But I've been in a mood to create a story like this for ages, so in the end I just said what the heck and wrote it. I hope you like it!)

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><p>Brown Eyes Parker<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to all the reviewers for their support! I'll send all of you a person message soon, but I just finished a major test week so at the moment I'm off to do what I've been wishing for all week: sleep. And of course to my Beta, JisbonyGoodness36, who went above and beyond to get this chapter done.**

**Disclaimer: … seriously?**

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><p>Chapter Three<p>

Despite the fact that the CBI had given them a few more days to hang around in Vegas Lisbon booked the first flight she could find out of there. She wanted to return home where they could safely figure out a contingency plan. Knowing Wainwright the rest of the office had more than likely already been told about her and Jane, so pretending nothing had changed was not an option.

"I'm not changing my name to Special Agent Jane," she informed him as she closed the door to her room and locked it for the last time. "One Jane is already too much for the office to handle."

Jane smiled at her comment, snatching her bag from the floor before she could reach it. "That's okay Lisbon, I've already made peace with Lisbon-Jane." She glared at him in response. "We'll still call you Lisbon, but what's the point of getting married if there aren't a few changes in your life?"

"I wasn't exactly planning on getting married," she muttered before heading for the elevator. Everything had been paid for, except the honeymoon suite she and Jane had been given free of charge after Clark had apparently tried to his luck a second time and Jane had thanked him for his efforts by giving him a black eye. Apparently Jane got a lot braver when he was drunk. The receptionist gave the two of them a weary smile as they returned the keys, probably afraid of a repeat performance of last night. Lisbon would have felt embarrassed but she couldn't really remember what had happened last night so instead she ignored the woman. There was no sign of Clark. The man seemed to have finally gotten the hint that Lisbon wasn't interested – and now neither was she available. She wanted to shudder at the though. Her, a married woman, when just a day earlier she'd been pretty sure she'd never be married. And the fact that her spouse was Jane… this was going to take a heck of a lot of time to get use to.

The cab ride went a lot better this time, Jane keeping his big mouth shut for once. Naturally his silence got to her after a while and, unable to stop herself, she sneaked a peek. The bloody man was sleeping! How dare he sleep while she was sitting there stressing about the repercussions of their actions!

Without even bothering to open his eyes he smiled at her. "Sorry Lisbon, but someone kept me up most of last night."

He was damn lucky they were in full view of the driver or she would've taken a proper swing at him. Instead she had to settle for glaring, even though she knew he couldn't see her. He'd know and that was enough. Crossing her arms she sat back in her seat, turning her body away from Jane so she could sulk. She should've known he wouldn't allow her the privilege, sneaking his arm around her and pulling her towards him. She practically fell into his lap in the process.

"Jane!" she complained, struggling heartily to get back up. He held her in place, trapping her against his chest.

"Come on Teresa, I know you got just as little sleep as I did." He murmured in her ear. The use of her first name got her to sit still. She should've expected him to do so, he was now her husband after all but it still caught her off guard. "Sit back and relax a bit,"

"Over my dead body," she muttered, struggling once more but Jane's grip was like an iron vice. "Jane – Jane, please, this is really unprofessional…"

"This isn't really a professional situation Teresa," he whispered.

Once more the use of her name made her tense. She wasn't sure why but her temper was suddenly taking a spike. "If you're going to keep doing that can you at least shorten it to Reese?"

"But I like Teresa," he teased, goofy grin still in place. Mouth pulled into a tight frown she made a hard yank backwards, although it didn't make much of a difference to her position, his arms firmly keeping her in place. "But," his head dipped and lips captured her unsuspecting mouth, "I guess I can get use to it,"

The real question, Lisbon though as he finished and raised his head to its original position, was if she was ever going to get use to the new attention she was getting from Jane. And if she was ever going to get over the change their relationship had taken.

"Humour me just for a few minutes. I sleep better when you're there,"

She didn't believe him for one second but fighting him on it right there in front of the taxi driver didn't seem like the brightest idea. So, against her own choice of course, she let out a frustrated breath of air, lowered her head onto his chest and closed her eyes. It felt oddly nice, not that she'd ever tell him that out loud. Nice smelling his purely male, purely Jane, smell, nice hearing the steady beat of his heart, something most people would swear he didn't have. Without even realizing what she was doing her breathing slowed and within seconds fell asleep, never even noticing that Jane had told the truth and had already joined her in dreamland.

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><p>Sleep was not something that normally came easily to Patrick Jane. Most nights were spent tossing and turning before finally, just when the sun was just beginning to rise and he figured he should probably get up, it would hit him. Unfortunately those naps brought about by pure exhaustion never lasted long either. Half an hour later he'd be wide awake again and heading for the bullpen where the hustle and bustle of the office would act as his natural caffeine. He'd given up on coffee ages ago in pursuit of easier sleep but even the lack of actual caffeine didn't ease his nights. It had been through luck alone that he had discovered the one place he could catch a brief nap. The couch in the bullpen was too close to the noise. And while he normally pretended to zone out there he never really could. The couch in Lisbon's office was a different story altogether. Listening to her mock scoff before the soft tapping of fingers against the computer keyboard filled the air had brought a peace to his soul that Jane had never expected. He knew it wasn't the environment in Lisbon's office but the woman herself, even if he would never mention it out loud. It had proved to be the one place he could switch off conman Jane and just enjoy the peace and quiet that Lisbon gave off like a radiant light.<p>

It seemed that ability of hers wasn't restricted to the CBI.

Jane cracked open one sleepy eyelid, his sleep fogged brain taking a second or two to adjust before he opened the other. The taxi was still moving, an obvious sign that he hadn't even slept more than a few minutes because the airport wasn't all that far away. That he had slept at all was a miracle in itself. He usually chose time consuming activities to force a nap, like a plane ride, surveillance or avoiding paperwork, but this time it seemed his subconscious had chosen for him. He shifted backwards to find a more comfortable position, settling Lisbon more firmly against him in the process. He froze, afraid that he had disturbed her sleep, but she simply mumbled a stream of incoherent words – the only one he could make out was "Jane" in a scolding tone – before resuming her nap. She was going to be extremely angry at him when they reached the airport but he decided he could live with that. Right now he needed the time to think things through.

His hand automatically reached for hers, his thumb stroking over the ring that was still on her finger. How it stayed there was beyond him. Lisbon was a small woman and thus naturally her fingers were much smaller than his. He was going to have to get her a new one.

The thought brought him back to the real dilemma. He was married. To Lisbon. Oh god what had he done? He wasn't ready for marriage, not after all that he'd been through. Heck, he hadn't even felt ready for a relationship despite the fact that it had been more than eight years. Lisbon had been the one who had pushed him to get out there, to take the chance to get to know someone else that he could love just as much as he had loved Angela. He was pretty sure she had never had herself in mind. He sure as hell hadn't had himself in mind when he'd hinted she take her own advice. He'd even gone out of his way to push her towards Mashborn just to get her to forget about worrying about him. She never had. She was like a dog with a bone, once she got her jaws into it there wasn't a chance in heaven or hell she was ever going to let go.

Just thinking about Angela made his heart ache with sorrow, regret, and now, the idea that he had betrayed her. Within those eight years he'd done no more than give another woman one tiny kiss – something he had regretting from the second he had realized what he'd done – and now he'd gone and done everything he'd sworn he's never do again all in one single night. Somewhere someone was laughing at him, he was sure of it. His gaze dropped to only person in the world he trusted. He wished he could give her everything she wanted, no, everything she deserved, but he couldn't. He was a broken shell of a man, incapable of living for anything in life except the rage and revenge he sought for the deaths he had caused. It wasn't fair on her, and he knew it. Lisbon deserved someone who worshipped the very ground she walked on, someone who knew how lucky they were to have a woman so caring, so special. Someone who loved her to a fault. He could never be that someone. He would be there for her, try and give her the support she needed but his heart simply wasn't his to give away anymore.

He wasn't entirely sure why the thought left him feeling utterly depressed.

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><p>There was a reason Lisbon chose never to take short power naps in public places. She was a woman who loved her sleep more than she cared to admit and being woken up was never a pleasant sensation for her. In fact it often left her feeling just a teeny tiny bit grumpy. Jane, she was sure, knew this by now and therefore she refused to be held liable for her mood when he nudged her awake.<p>

"Wakey wakey Sunshine," his murmur was laced with charm as he breathed the words into her ear. She swatted his hand away with a quick flick of her wrist before she forced her eyes open. She nearly shut them again when she realized just where she was. How was she supposed to scold Jane when she was practically sitting on the man's lap? He was waiting for her angry reaction, the small smile on his face made that much clear. Instead she narrowed her eyes at him, settling for a scowl instead of a shout, before pulling away from him. He let her go this time, his smirk growing as she remembered to check her hair this time.

"Not one word Jane," she warned before swinging the door open with a tiny bit too much force. She heard his chuckle before she slammed it shut again. Infuriating man! She left Jane to deal with the bags while she checked her cell phone. She'd put it on silent shortly after Wainwright's call that morning and had yet to regret it. There was a missed call from Cho. Two from Van Pelt. With a sigh of frustration she stuck the phone back in her pocket. She would deal with her Agent's queries as soon as she herself had figured it out.

"Everything okay, Lisbon?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin. Damn the man for his ability to sneak up on her. She hated being caught by surprise and he knew it. She swung around, more than ready to take her mood out on him, but froze when she saw the look on his face. Jane was never one to show much emotion, especially when he felt vulnerable. It was something the two of them had in common to some extent. The difference was while she hid it behind a bad mood or pretended it didn't exist, Jane morphed into his happy go lucky bordering on psychopathic mode. He was being honest with her at the time, showing her he was just as unsettled and worried about the whole situation, and she thought it only fair to be open with him in return.

"I don't know what to tell them Jane." She told him honestly. "I could tell them the truth and have them worry, or I can lie and have to live with the guilt of doing so? I don't know where we're going from here and honestly, I'd prefer that we do before I tell them anything."

Jane nodded in understanding. "Well, they are practically your family,"

She felt her eyebrows dip in a frown. "Our. Our family, not just mine Jane. Oh god, family…" What the hell was she going to tell her brothers? Hi guys, you know the consultant I've been complaining about for ages? Ya, well, we just got married! She gave them two days tops before they pitch at her doorstep with shotguns. They didn't care that she was a federal agent and fully capable to taking care of herself. To them she'd always be their sister, the person every brother was sworn to protect. And if Jane was going to be his normal self there was no question they were going to see him as unsuitable. "It's a good thing you know when to run Jane,"

She left him there to ponder her words while she grabbed her bag. Three quarters of an hour later they were finally seated in the plane. Both of them had been relatively quiet since their talk outside the taxi and that wasn't about to change soon. An airplane wasn't exactly the perfect place to have the little heart to heart they desperately needed to have. Unfortunately after her nap in the taxi another one didn't seem all that likely. Jane on the other hand seemed to disagree. He waved his hand like an overeager student at the airhostess so he could once more get a pillow. Lisbon rolled her eyes at him and, in an attempt to ignore him, fished around in her small carry on bag for a book. She had just found her place when the airhostess appeared making her promptly drop the book in surprise. It was her! The woman who had annoyed her so much the previous flight was on the plane again, only this time Lisbon couldn't correct her on Jane not being her husband. If only the irony could kill her.

"How can I help you Mr…"

"Jane. Would it be too much trouble to ask for a pillow?"

"Not at all, I'll get one right away. Would you like one too, Mrs. Jane?"

It took Lisbon a few seconds to remember that was her. "Oh, eh, no thank you, I'm good." With a nod of her head and a smile that Lisbon found annoyingly friendly she was off. Lisbon didn't even have to look at Jane to know he had an annoying smirk on his lips. "Keep smiling like that and I'll make sure you just might lose something you like, Jane,"

He laughed out loud at that and, to Lisbon's surprise, leaned forward to place a quick kiss on her temple. "Of course you will Mrs. Jane," As he returned to an his place Lisbon saw the airhostess out of the corner of her eye, now beaming like only a true romantic could. If only she knew Lisbon thought dryly as she returned to her book.

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><p>"I should've guessed," Lisbon muttered as they left the airport building. She had known the others would be worried but had assumed they would at least give her until she returned to work before they would try and force any information from her. By the look on Cho's face she was going to have to spill if she really wanted to return home tonight.<p>

He stood right in their way, his arms crossed over his chest and his face in his usual unreadable mask. Rigsby and Van Pelt stood behind him, both looking concerned. At least she could still read some of her agents.

"Cho's angry," Jane warned her softly. Lisbon almost stopped right there and then. How the heck did he know how Cho was feeling? The agent was like a statue, cool and impassive, and yet Jane seemed to know exactly what was going on in his head. And how exactly did Jane know she couldn't read the man?

"You need to get a hobby," She didn't bother shortening her strides because, honestly, running away wasn't going to make them back down. They were simply concerned about their boss and making sure if she was okay. Even if they knew it could annoy the living daylights out of her. "Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt. Imagine seeing you here. Going somewhere for a case?" She saw a flicker of guilt from Grace but the younger woman remained quiet. Lisbon forced herself to remain calm. Okay, she was going to have to set this straight. It wasn't going to be easy but right now there wasn't exactly a point of ignoring it. She took a deep breath, willing the no nonsense cop Lisbon to take over. "Okay guys, let's not beat around the bush here. I'm sure Wainwright couldn't wait to let you know exactly what happened so I'm not going to lie and tell you otherwise. Yes, Jane and I got married." That finally got a reaction from the rest. A mixture of surprise and disbelieve that made it obvious they hadn't wanted to believe Wainwright. "We didn't go to Vegas with the intention of getting married –" biggest understatement of the century "- but we did. We'd appreciate your support but if you don't like the idea then I'm afraid it's too late. Deal with it." Without looking them in the eye she started moving forward, eager to get away from there as fast as her legs could carry her. Van Pelt's question however stopped her right in her track.

"You're happy about it though, right boss?" Lisbon turned her head toward her, surprised to see the hopefulness in her eyes. "You're happy you got married?"

Lisbon eyes flicked towards Jane for just a second. Was she happy about it? Her first reaction when she had found out would have hinted at a big fat no, but right now she wasn't all that sure. Jane had been her friend for some time now and she enjoyed his company, enjoyed the way he always seemed to know how to make her laugh and that he could tell when she felt sad and needed a shoulder to lean on. She'd been worried about him lately, about how little sleep he'd been getting and how obsessed he became when it came to Red John. She'd be able to keep an eye on him now, make sure he was safe. Her fingers fidgeted with the ring still there. Her eyes met Jane's and for the first time since that morning she had the strange feeling that things could actually work out.

She felt the small smile that kept across her face all on its own accord. "Yes, I'm happy," She expected to be challenged, to be told she couldn't possibly want to be married to a man like Jane. Instead she was greeted with a rare show of affection as Grace threw her arms around her in a tight hug. Apparently she had been convincing enough for the young agent.

"If you're happy then the rest of us can't be anything else," she said as she pulled back.

Rigby stepped forward and for his turn at a hug. "Congratulations Agent Jane,"

"Lisbon," she insisted.

"Lisbon-Jane,' Jane countered.

Lisbon glared at him, smacking him playfully in retaliation. She was smiling broadly by the time Cho approached her. His hug was more honest than she had expected.

"Congratulations boss." He took a step back, his expression turning serious. "If he ever hurts you in any way…" he started but Lisbon stopped him with a laugh.

"Don't worry, I know how to use a gun."

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><p><strong>Hope you guys are still happy with the story. Here's to hoping I have chapter 4 for you by Saturday next week!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**My sincerest thanks, as always, to my star of a beta JisbonyGoodness36 for all your trouble! This chapter is dedicated to Chiisana Minako for giving me a poke in the rib and reminding me I was suppose to update. Thanks so much for your support, I really appreciate it.**

**The rest of the A/N is at the bottom.**

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

Her green eyes flicked open suddenly, her mind instantly awake and alert. One hand shot down the side of her mattress, her fingers closing over the handle of the gun she had hidden there. Cop mode was instantly activated, her eyes narrowing slightly, her mouth pulled into a straight lined scowl. She was up, her bare feet freezing in the cool night air, her oversized football jersey offering little protection to the rest of her body. Both hands steadily wielding her gun she crept out the door, aiming the gun in each direction of the hall before she proceeded.

The noise echoed through the house again. This time she could make out it was coming from downstairs. Stealthy as a spy she sneaked downwards, her gun poised and ready to strike. The front door was still locked, no sign of forced entry jumping out at her. She wouldn't ever know if someone had been in her living room, the scatter of books and paper, the loose jacket casually flipped over the couch the minute she came home and the disarrayed pillows always scraped away any hope she had of ever being a naturally neat person. She heard it again. It was coming from the kitchen.

"Gotcha," she mouthed as she silently hurried across the room and settled her back against the wall right by the door. She made sure her gun was ready before slipping through the kitchen door, her gun instantly settling on its target as she yelled, "Freeze!"

He froze alright, one hand still clutching a cup of tea as his arms rose above his head.

Lisbon blinked, her eyes were use to the dark by now but it took her mind a second to comprehend what she was seeing. "Jane?"

"Lisbon?" he sounded surprised too, but not because he was seeing her. It was the gun that was making him nervous as its barrel still pointed straight at him.

Lisbon's hand groped for the light switch on the wall next to her. The blight light temporarily blinded her before she could finally make out the scene. Jane was sitting by her kitchen table, his hands still raised above his head, his teacup miraculously not tipping over to drown him in scalding water. He wasn't wearing his three-piece suit for once, a feat she had never thought she would ever witness, instead he was wearing a white t-shirt and what appeared to be boxers. He'd obviously been sleeping. "Lisbon, could you please lower the gun?" His voice was calm and careful, reminding her subtly that he hated guns.

She lowered it instantly, her mind still not putting everything in the right place. "Jane, what are you doing he…" she stopped mid-sentence, her memory finally clicking. She felt her cheeks flushed bright red as she realised her mistake.

He raised one eyebrow at her. "Lisbon, what exactly is going on?" She mumbled something incoherent under her breath. "Sorry, I didn't catch that?"

"I forgot you were here," she admitted angrily in a mutter. "Sorry,"

Jane couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. He'd thought as much when his mind had finally accepted that he wasn't hallucinating and Lisbon was in fact standing in front of him with a gun trained to his heart. His grin made her flush even more, never realising what a sight she was to behold. She was dressed only in an oversized jersey that extended to mid thigh. The fact that she had been lifting a gun mere seconds earlier had lifted it just the tiniest bit, not revealing anything but still, Jane knew he wouldn't be getting that image out of his head soon. Her freezing had given him the time to gawk, and gawk he had. The lights may have been off but Jane had done enough sneaking around in his life to properly practice seeing in the dark.

He saw her shift her weight between her feet, an obvious sign she was getting ready to run out of there and back to the sanctuary of her room. He didn't want her to go. He'd been restless all night, even the fact that she was close by hadn't been able to get his system to shut down. He usually felt oddly content when she was in the vicinity, but this time it just wasn't working. Maybe it only succeeded when she was in his line of vision. After all, he could normally see her from his spot on the couch in the bullpen. She rarely closed her blinds after all and when she did he simply moved to the couch in her office. He always simply said he was concerned about her as an excuse. He was concerned when she closed herself off from the rest of them but there was always that selfish need to have her in sight right along with the concern.

"Lisbon?" She stopped shifting, her gaze moving off the floor where it had been trained in embarrassment. "Would you like something to drink? I know you don't like tea and it's too late for coffee, but there's hot chocolate." She would hear the hint of desperation he had failed to hide. She always did.

To her surprise the smile she responded with came easily and automatic. "Sure Jane, that'll be nice." She moved over to the table, her hands desperately tugging at the hem of her jersey as she did. She knew it covered everything it should but she was still nervous with Jane in the room, a clear sign that the weekend had affected her a heck of a lot more than she cared to admit. She sat down as he looked through her cupboards for a mug. She tapped her fingers against the wooden table, her mind never noticing the movement as she desperately thought of a way to relieve the situation of some of its tension. "Just make sure there's no alcohol in it. We both know what happened the last time."

Oh good lord, that was not what she should have said! She been trying to get rid of the awkwardness not make it a thousand times worse! She was a fool, a damn big one and sitting here trying to make small talk would most likely make her an even bigger one. She needed to get out of here, get back to the warm safety of her bedroom and hopefully stay there for the next century. She started to get up but Jane knew her too well by now. He knew what that small twitch of her lips meant, knew when her eyes yelled run and was already behind her to push her back into her seat. His hands stayed on her shoulders as he pinned her there.

"Now now Lisbon, there's no need for that. We're just going to sit and enjoy a hot drink and each other's company. We'll keep the more… difficult topics for when we're both more awake." Even though they'd quite successfully avoided said topics when they'd been awake earlier. "Relax."

She didn't relax but at least she remained seated while he finished making her drink. The room was silent as he worked, the clinkingof a spoon against the edges of the mug the only sound as he stirred. Lisbon did everything she could to avoid his gaze. She was studying her nails as he placed the steaming mug in front of her and settled himself on the chair next to her. Gingerly she picked up the mug and took a small sip. She kept it in her hands to warm her cool fingers as she looked over at Jane. He was in the process of lifting his cup to his lips, the saucer held in his other hand. It was not the first time Lisbon had noticed his gentlemanly way of drinking tea and this time it amused her even more. His actions would have been oh so formal had it not been for the fact that he was dressed only in a t-shirt and boxers. She couldn't help it. She had to laugh.

He lowered the cup back onto the saucer and frowned at her in confusion. "What?"

She shook her head slowly. "Oh Jane, what the heck have we gotten ourselves into?"

"I though we were leaving that debate for tomorrow?"

"What's the point? We're here, we have time. I'm not going to be able to sleep soon after this and there's only one reason why you'd be up and about this time of the morning. Insomnia." She added the last part just in case what she meant wasn't clear. "Why wait?Maybe I'll finally be rid of this desire to lock myself in my room every time I see you if we figure out what we're going to do."

Jane sighed and lowered his teacup onto the table. "What can we do Lisbon? Wainwright told the team, the rest of the office would have overheard and we both know Red John's snitch is still somewhere in there. Chances are he already knows. Pretending it didn't happen isn't an option anymore. That's if it ever was an option which I'm coming to realise it probably wasn't." He ran a hand through his tussled hair. "He's not going to leave you alone Lisbon, I think we both know that." His blue eyes turned to pierce hers, filled with the deepest regret she'd ever seen. "I'm sorry Teresa, I so so sorry. This was my fight, I had no right pulling you into this mess…"

He was forced silent as she covered his mouth with her hand. "Don't you dare do that Jane, you're not going to do that to either of us. Red John's probably had his eye on me from the start. I'm the lead investigator on his case remember, I'm not just some poor civilian who thought she found the man of her dream only to find he's hunted by a psychotic serial killer. And we've been friend how long now? We've done stuff together more times than I can count Jane. He knew I was a part of your life way before now, and I'm still here. Plus, and maybe you should write this down because you tend to forget it, I'm a cop. I can take care of myself. Of the two of us I'm the one with the gun."

He tugged her hand away. "I'm sorry okay, I didn't think I'd get shot for getting a cup of tea. Next time I'll ask first."

He was avoiding the topic, Lisbon didn't need to be a genius to figure that out, but she let him lighten the mood. He was right, they should wait for a time when they were both more awake and ready for a conversation like this. Instead she forced a smile. "I'm sorry Jane, I'm not really use to having someone else in the house. I've been alone for so long that to my subconscious noise equals danger. I'll get use to it soon enough."

"I'm almost sad. You looked sort of like those underdressed cops in those action films you like so much. It's quite a sight to behold."

She was blushing again, her hand once more tugging at the hem of the now too small jersey.

"Don't worry dear, I can't see anything. Unfortunately." He was being a scoundrel because he knew it would keep her distracted and she was well aware of it. It didn't make her less embarrassed though. From now on she'll be wearing pants as well.

"I'm afraid I can't return the compliment." He'd meant it as a compliment, right? "You look a little too much like a Victorian lady with that tea cup of yours," In response to her comment he lifted his pinkie finger as he downed the rest of his tea. She took a large gulp of her own as well, the hot liquid warming her from the inside out.

"What're our plans for tomorrow?" He stood and made his way to the sink to clean his cup.

Lisbon thought for a second. "Sleep, relax, maybe stock up on food, figure out how we're going to be doing for the rest of our lives."

Jane ignored her last comment. "Is it okay if we head over to the office? If you're sure you want me staying here I'll need to get my things from the attic and my dear old car."

Lisbon groaned in response. "Damn Jane, you still want to keep that old tin can you call a car?"

"She's a classic Lisbon, I'm not giving her up that easily." He returned to his seat with a plop.

"You know, I think I know why Red John hasn't tried to kill you yet. He probably knows that thing will do the job for him."

"You're just jealous,"

"Of a car?"

"Sure. You're afraid I like the car more than you." He smiled at her, that dangerous carnie smile that normally meant he was up to no good. "It's okay dear, the car has a special place in my heart but doesn't do all the cooking and cleaning."

Lisbon felt her fury kindle to life. "Like heck will I do all the cooking and cleaning! There're two of us now for a reason."

Jane looked thoughtful. "Maybe I do prefer the car." She punched him in the arm, a little harder than she had intended to but he sure as hell deserved it. He pretended – or at least she hoped he was pretending – to be hurt by her actions, yelping comically. Lisbon smiled at the man she still couldn't believe was now her husband. Maybe everything was still light and fun because they haven't talked about the implications of their actions yet. They were both avoiding it at all cost because they knew what would happen when they finally had to delve into it. She hoped everything would be okay in the end, hoped that this friendship they had forged throughout the years would hold. They were from completely different worlds, had different views and expectations of life but somehow they had forged this bond and Lisbon knew it would be something she'd struggle to live without. He was her lifeline in a sense, her best friend in all honesty and she would miss him like a lost limb if he decided to leave.

"You know, this is kind of what I always dreamed I wanted when I lived as a carnie," Her eyes shot up to his, surprised beyond all belief that he was speaking of his previous life. He normally avoided it at all cost, the pain it caused him usually ending up too much to ignore. So instead of letting out the humorous retort that had jumped to the tip of her tongue, she just looked at him, waiting for him to drop his shield, not willing to push him if he wasn't ready for it. His eyes fell to the ground before he continued. "With Angela… things weren't perfect. It wasn't her fault, none of it was. She was the most wonderful, the most beautiful, the most perfect woman I had known. Every time I saw her I knew she was meant to be mine. She never had a bad thing to say about anyone in the world, never got angry and could never hold a grudge. Maybe that was her downfall, never shouting at me, never taking me on about what I was doing to our family." He paused. "I had wanted to cut all ties with that world Lisbon, I'd wanted to be free, but the first few months were so difficult I had no choice but to use my survival instincts. It was suppose to be only a few psychic jobs, just until I had another job that could sustain us. But without any form of degree or training I just couldn't find one, and then Angela found out she was pregnant and we just needed more and more. When Charlotte was born I should have stopped but the need to work wasn't what was holding me back anymore. The power, the fame, it became a drug I couldn't live without. I needed those people every bit as much as they thought they needed me. Angela tried to get me to stop but she wasn't like you Lisbon. The past had damaged her in a different way than it had me. She was afraid she would lose me too if she challenged me about what I was doing." His small smile reflected only sadness. "You take me on every time I go over the line, yell at me, make me see the fault I had made. If only she'd done that. I was cocky and arrogant when it came to Red John, we both know that. I know I deserved to be punished by his actions, but not in this way. My family was innocent; they shouldn't have had to pay for my deeds. When I lost them I realised I had never left the life I had so desperately sought to escape, I was just living it outside the carnival walls." He let out a bitter laugh. "And in all honesty I still haven't left it. I still use trickery to do my job as a consultant. I'm still the same old Jane."

"No," She reached out both hands to cup his face and force his gaze up to hers. His eyes were glassy and sad, unshed tears hiding around the edges. "You're nothing like you use to be Jane. Yes, you like making a scene, and yes, sometimes I feel like strangling you for it, but in the end you get the work done. You don't steal from or lie to people, you bring them the closure they never thought they could ever find. You're the hero of your story now, not the villain. And you don't use your carnie skills Jane, you use this." One hand let go of his chin to drift up and press a single finger against the centre of his forehead. "You are who you want to be Jane. Don't let him control the person you end up becoming. Don't let him win." She stood up, pressing her lips softly against the spot her fingers had been on moments ago, before heading over to the sink to rinse her own cup. Jane just sat there staring into the distance, his thoughts a thousand miles away. She let him be as she finished her work. Maybe the time would allow him to sort through some of the mess that seemed to permanently clog his mind. He still hadn't moved an inch by the time she placed her mug in the cupboard. She let out a loud yawn. It seemed to wake Jane from whatever trans he'd been in. Suddenly he was on his feet again, his usually carefree mask back in place.

"It's late, we should probably head back to bed." Lisbon nodded, her body suddenly feeling exhausted and reminding her that night time was meant for sleeping. She let him herd her out of the kitchen, pausing only to flick off the light, through the pitch dark living room and up the stairs.

"Wait," he froze at the top of the stairs, "I need to set the alarm."

"You have an alarm? Since when?"

"Since… uh, it's been a while." He didn't need any further explanation, his mind quickly putting two and two together. "You need to set it so the top floor remains deactivated. All you do is…" she quickly explained how it should be done, pushing in the code as she did. There was no beep to alert anyone else of the fact that the house was now under surveillance, only a small red light burning on the alarm itself. This way no one but Lisbon and Jane would know about the alarm and the safety it provided.

Jane watched her as she moved, saw the hint of relief when she knew the alarm was engaged. He'd never known she was worried about her safety at home, always figuring that in her mind the gun and badge made her immortal to any kind of danger. He now understood why he'd been greeted with a gun in the kitchen and was more than grateful she had restrained herself from pulling the trigger.

She yawned again, her movements becoming dazed as she shuffled in the direction of her bedroom. "Night Jane," she mumbled as she went.

Before he could convince himself otherwise he shot out a hand to catch her by the arm and pulled her straight into his arms. Caught by surprise she let herself be pulled into his embrace. "Thank you for listening Lisbon." She merely nodded, still a little unsure how she had gotten herself in this position. He leaned closer, his breath whispering across her face as he softly said, "Goodnight Lisbon," She waited for the kiss, half hoped it wouldn't just be a chaste peck, but it never came. Instead he pulled away, leaving her there in the doorway as he entered his own room. She stood there a few seconds more a little dazed and confused. She was in trouble, she realised, big trouble.

* * *

><p>They had meant to discuss their actions that weekend before they headed back to work, but the right opportunity just never arrived. They went back to acting like they had before Vegas, joking and teasing, arguing over small things that really didn't matter in the least. After Friday night's incident Jane kept his hands to himself and Lisbon was almost able to imagine things hadn't changed in the least.<p>

Monday was a rude wake up call. They had barely entered the CBI building when the whispering began and they followed her all the way to her office. Lisbon could see people dashing off to inform others of their arrival, the gossip mill ready for their newest morsel.

"Ignore them, Teresa," Jane told her softly from her side. "Don't let them work on your nerves."

"I'm trying," her answer was a little more annoyed than she had hoped. "I don't like being the centre of attention Jane, you know that."

He did know that. Lisbon was the kind of woman who neatly kept work and her personal lives in separate boxes. The fact that they had overlapped was making it impossible for her to do so. They were just going to have to deal with it. He didn't for one second think it was going to be easy, he wasn't that big a fool. His was usually in the lime light for his inability to get through a case without causing some form of mischief, but marrying his own team leader was so much juicier. And the fact that it had been in Vegas where they had been solving a case… he was sure the gossip mongers were drooling for information.

He simply kept his usually charming smile plastered on his face, one hand resting on the small of Lisbon's hand as he forced her to keep moving forward instead of biting the secretary who was winking at her's head off. The journey to the elevator took far longer than it ever had before, the eyes glued to them feeling like an ever present paparazzi. Jane may have been use to the attention but Lisbon usually kept to the shadows. He wondered what the reaction would be if news of their marriage reached the outside world. He was known for the ruckus he caused and all the cases he solved through causing said problems. And then there was the shooting of the man he claimed had been Red John less than a year ago. Yip, the press was going to find this an interesting change of events indeed. He'd been right when he'd figured Wainwright wouldn't keep the news quiet. Slimy little bastard.

Lisbon saw the small twitch of his mouth. "What happened to staying calm, hubby?" she muttered as they entered the elevator.

"What makes you think I'm not?"

She glared at him. "Come on Jane, I've known you long enough to know your tells. Who're you mad at?"

They were alone in the small room so he let the façade drop for just a second. "Wainwright."

She blinked at his answer, instantly seeing his point but still surprised that he had provided her with an answer. Truth be told she was more than a little pissed with the boss herself but hadn't been about to admit it any time soon. If Jane was willing to admit his true feelings then she saw no reason to hide hers.

"Yeah, professionalism doesn't appear to be his strong suite." She caught his hand just before the door opened and whispered, "Don't do anything stupid, please Jane." She squeezed before dropping his hand and exiting the elevator.

As expected the people on their floor weren't any better. Staring and gawking seemed to be the automatic human reaction to surprise. She ignored them, or at least she tried. She wasn't sure she was all that successful. She let out a sigh of relief when they reached the bullpen, eager to get back to work. That way she had at least a few hours of being too busy to notice her co-workers' reactions.

"Boss," Van Pelt's smile was huge and honest, her satisfaction at the match obvious for all to see. Rigsby was busy eating – as usual – settling for a wave in greeting instead while his mouth was full. Cho was at his desk reading a book.

"Slow day," Lisbon teased as she reached him.

He glared over to the side, the other workers in plain sight, each and every one gawking. "Sort of."

Lisbon cursed under her breath as she saw what he was looking at. "Does anyone else feel like they're back in high school?" She glanced over at Jane. "See, you didn't miss out on much." She glared at the people around her before striding over to her office to hide in private.

Jane on the other hand wasn't too bothered. She left the blinds open so he felt more than comfortable enough where he was. He greeted the team, slapped Rigsby on the back as he chocked on something and made his way over to his spot. He hadn't gotten much sleep the last while and was desperate for a quick cat nap. He turned slightly so he could catch a quick glance at Lisbon who was now desperately rifling through files that had been left on her table, smiled and closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Lisbon was going to kill someone and she was going to do it soon. She'd only been gone a week but the work in her office made it look like a year. Why were so many cases being passed down to her? This was the serious crime division after all, since when did they deal with petty thieves and … was that a ten year cold case? She was almost ready to flip her lid when Wainwright came strolling in holding at least four more case files. She was pretty sure they were more cases which didn't fall into her jurisdiction. Her suspicion was confirmed when he tossed them onto her desk with a sinister smile.<p>

"Ah, Agent Jane," She felt like slapping him there and then. He'd know she wanted to keep Lisbon and was being purposefully arrogant about it. "I'm glad to see you're finally back." Never mind the fact that he'd given her off until today. "The department was a little worried about all the free time you seem to have on you're hand so they sent a few cases to keep you busy until a serious case comes up. I expect them to be handled swiftly and correctly." With one last superior smile he was out of there, leaving her fuming in her seat. Why of all the egotistic, pig headed, idiotic assholes he had to be her boss she had no idea. He was going to be hell to work with for the next few months. He saw what happened as against his highly important standards and was going to try and beat her down until she adhered to them. In other words he was playing dirty.

She glanced out of her office window, her eyes instantly drifting to her husband now fast asleep on his couch. Her frown turned into an evil little smile. Wainwright seemed to have forgotten who she'd been forced to deal with the last eight years. He'd taught her how to be sneaky and underhanded and heck if she wasn't going to use that to her advantage. She picked up her cell phone, scrolling down until she found the number she was looking for. It only rang three times before the person on the other end picked up.

"Madeleine Hightower."

"Hightower, hi, it's Lisbon."

"Lisbon? Hi, it's been too long."

"Far too long."

"I agree. What's new there?"

Lisbon sighed. "Well, I guess I'm married." It was easier to say than she had expected.

Hightower laughed. "Yeah, I know. I just wanted to hear it from you."

"Jeez word spreads quickly,"

"What did you expect Lisbon? Jane's well known in most circles. Cops prefer knowing everything about the man they plan on avoiding at any cost."

It was Lisbon's turn to laugh. "He can be a bit of a handful at times can't he? But that's not why I called. I need a bit of a favour."

"What did Jane do this time?"

"Surprisingly enough it wasn't him. It's Wainwright. He doesn't seem to be taking all of this too well."

Hightower didn't even pause. "What do you need?"

* * *

><p><strong>I'm soooo sorry for the long wait to update. Exams are two weeks away and I feel like I don't even have time to eat and sleep anymore. I promise next time it won't take so long!<strong>

**Thanks so much for all the alerts and favourites and a special thanks to those who reviewed. You guys are so awesome, thank you so so much: Chiisana Minako, Totorsg, Lady Penelope Rouge, Brown Eyes Parker, LAurore, House ever, ClaMiAl and xanderseye.**


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